Wichita eagle., 1887-07-05
THE FOOL ROOM.

Little Zanby was cripple. 1t was said
| that. he had started out with fair pros
poets physically, but that having, while
quite young, been hooked by steer,
kicked by an old family horse-the most
DANCE .ous of all creatures-and finally
run over by a wood wagon, he settled
down into an ordinary cripple, with one
leg that was much too short and with one
arm that was withered like wilted polk
stalk Little Zanby had, from his earliest
infancy, lived in Cypress grove, where
every one was acquainted with the hum
of his Industrious old mothers spinning
wheel. The old woman knew that her
son was going to be a statesman. Had he
been strong and able to work, she would
I have doubtless INDUCED no such hope, but
1 as it was she seemed to think that states
manship was about all that was left for
him. The school teacher once had the eX-
treme hardihood to tell her that he did not
think it was of much use to send the boy
to school, adding that it was cruel to tax
what little mind the child had. The old
woman was putting a fresh ''shuck' on
the spindle of her wheel at the time She
turned from her work, which was indeed
a remarkable attention for her to bestow
on any one, looked at the teacher from
head to foot, and said:
''Mr. Scroggins, see that all the fools
amt dead VIII
"My dear madam''-
''Don't dear madam me. / see how it
is You air all jealous o. Zanby Oh,
you neenter laugh, you great big lubberly
good fur-nothiu' thing. This very mint
you ought to be out in the woods splittin'
rails, stead o. maxim your livin' by settin'
"a la SIN
man, Mr.. Scroggins, never while breaths
in that good fur nothin' body O yOurn.
Git outen my house-gitr'
When the boy came home she took him
into an inner chamber, dark room
whittier she always went to pour out her
grief, and wept over him.
About the time Zanby arrived at the age
Of Is years, a change came upon him.
Despite his infirmities, he had ever main
tanned a cheerfulness that was the wonder
of sound people, but he suddenly became
gloomy. When some one spoke to his
mother with regard to 1t, she replied:
cts puffeckly nachul. You KANT eX-
pect boy that's goin' to be a statesman
to allus have the simple grins. Jes let
him alone an he'll come out all right"
"Yes," rejoined the neighbor, 'but
this mornin' l seed him settiu' on the
bank o. the branch cryin' fit ter kill
hisse'f"
''What would You expect statesman
to do? Alus giggle? Madam, you jis'
tend TO yore business an I'll try ter
tend to NINE
sob, it amt that am tryin' to NEEDLE
with yore business, madam; it's because
we air all interested in little Zanby. We
air all so ulster SEEM him in the sun that
it sOrter posters us ter see him in the
shade"
"Wall, that neenter bother you none.
That child is comm outen the kinks faster
than you ever seed pusson. WY, you
oughter hear him talk in his sleep. He
talks like a preacher"
The old woman, though she treated the
matter lightly, was deeply troubled, and
i when little Zanby came home she studied
h his face closely.
''Zanby, air yer well, my chile?' she
asked.
"Yessum.''
GAS well as You wanter be?'
"Well ez / ken be.''
"How sop
"W'y, as well as a sore cripple ken be-"
She had never before heard him speak
! of his affiiction; she had never heard him
make a remark SO serious, and her chin
quivered as she gazed upon him.
81 wuz fool all my life till the other
day." he said. Now Eve got some
sense" he added, after a slight pause.
''What have you learnt that's new?n
she asked.
Learnt that I've allus been fool, ]
tell you. Eve been sort o butterfly,
but now I'm hornet
She looked at him in establishment.
'Zanby, know now that you KANT help
ben' q statesman"
'1Statesman, the deviln'
''Mussyful heavens, chile, y0u"-
''Thats all right, mother, Zanby broke
IN. "Ive hearn about that all my life
and when 1 WIZ fool paid attention to
| it an lived on it, for was blind then, but
| ken see now. 1 know you air surprised to
| see that amt no longer fool"
| The old woman burst into tears. He put
! his withered arm about her neck.
Char" he said, "don't cry thiser way.
T; You oughter be glad that ] amt no longer
| SIGH fool, even if 1 don't laugh an try
ter dance"
She dried her eyes, and, though sorrow
| ing deeply, could not help but admire the
new expression which the hitherto simple
boy had found.
'sZanby," she said, tenderly, holding his
| withered arm, ''ef yore eyes air opened,
as you say, an eff you air SO much smarter
than you ulster be, how ken you hep bein'
. great MANI"
another, you mustn't talk 10 me thater
way any more. My mind is jist as badly
crippled as my body, an it amt nachul
| that ken ever amount to anything"
Her hopes of his coming greatness, and
| her never ending talk of the time when he
. should be recognized as a leader, con-
stituted her only pleasure, and now, to
. be robbed of ii, brought fresh flow of
tears.
ssThar, now, mother, don't cry. It's
better ter be miserable with some little
sense than ter be a fool an be happy"
ssBut, my son." said the old woman.
endeavoring to be calm, lyon amt told
me what has brought about this terrible
changes"
ssNo, an 1 reckon I'd better keep it ter
myself 1t KANT be he'ped-thar amt
no earthly cure for it"
'sBut you mout tell yore pore ole
mother
s'Thar, now, don't cry. No, 1 don't
| want ter go in thar"
| She had made a motion as though she
] would draw him Into the dark room. 81
don't want to 60 In thar no more. It's
dark enough out here for me now"
ssDon't speak slightin' o. that room, my
chile. Yore father died in thar
ssYes, know that an b'leve I'd die
Il I wuz to 60 in thar now. i KANT hep
you must furgive me-but KANT hep
hrf think ~ that as nv fool ROOM